The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision.
A conventional apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The apparatus also includes an inflator for providing inflation fluid to inflate the vehicle occupant protection device, and a cover with seams that tear upon inflation of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. Some control over the deployment of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is desirable in order to limit the force applied by the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to the vehicle occupant.
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, an inflator, and a cover for the vehicle occupant protection device. The inflator provides inflation fluid to inflate the vehicle occupant protection device. The cover has side walls and a front wall for positioning between the vehicle occupant and the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The cover has at least one strong tear seam and at least one weak tear seam. The weak tear seam tears when subjected to a first force by the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The strong tear seam tears when subjected to a second force by the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The second force is larger than the first force.
The strong and weak tear seams are located so that a first portion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device initially ruptures the weak tear seam and the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device deploys primarily laterally relative to the vehicle occupant. A second portion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device subsequently ruptures the strong tear seam, and the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device deploys primarily in a direction toward the vehicle occupant.